2007 Volkswagen Transporter — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Volkswagen Transporter passed 73.3% of its 89,051 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.5 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 29.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (15.2%) and suspension (13.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and pins and bushes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,659 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.5% versus 15.7%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.2% | 13,496 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.9% | 12,372 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.0% | 8,058 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.6% | 5,909 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 5,317 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 4,485 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 4,659 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4,602 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 4,554 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 4,427 |
| 5 | Joints | 4,211 |
| 6 | Washers | 3,985 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 34.8% | 30,961 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.3% | 27,857 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.8% | 20,296 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.3% | 16,297 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 15.8% | 14,081 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.5% | 9,391 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 407 | 15.7% |
| 30-60k | 2,233 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 6,880 | 20.0% |
| 90-120k | 14,413 | 24.8% |
| 120-150k | 19,388 | 27.8% |
| 150k+ | 45,661 | 28.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 88,599 | 26.7% |
| Petrol | 446 | 23.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,207 | 26.4% |
| 2022 | 18,083 | 26.5% |
| 2023 | 17,858 | 26.5% |
| 2024 | 17,589 | 27.0% |
| 2025 | 17,314 | 27.2% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Transporter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (9.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2007 Volkswagen Transporters pass their MOT?
73.3% of the 89,051 2007 Volkswagen Transporter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Volkswagen Transporter?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.2% of tests, followed by suspension (13.9%).
Does the 2007 Transporter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.7% in the 0-30k band to 28.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 89,051 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.